life changes and results

[thumper15]

As I posted last fall I had lower back surgery on my L5 which was pinching the siatic nerve for almost 4 months. During that time and since alot has changed for me. The good news is my back is doing fine, but the docs gave me 10% disability in my back anyway because I had surgery. Also during that time my wife showed her true colors so now my divorce is almost final. However, the settlement I'll be getting on my back has created a few new ideas I've always wanted to do. I posted a week ago about elk hunting which is something I've always wanted to do. Another idea has been going through my mind, which custom bows would I like to order. The ones I'd like to get are a HH wesley special ( I bought one and sold it through the tradgang and loved it want to replace it ), a dwyer longbow, and possibly a assenheimer recurve. I'm not too familier with the assenheimer bows but everyone seems to like them on here. If any of you have pics of the assenheimers I'd like to see them so I can get an idea of the woods and different looks that he can make. But in general I have found out over the last year how much pain and stress I can handle. Guess my point is sometimes we go through hell it paves the way for better things. Oh BTW, the ideas for these bows are HH cocobolo riser, black elk wrap, maybe an inlay and #55. The dwyer well I don't know yet on risers but either bamboo or yew limbs, single arch riser, and #60. The assenheimer was thinking bacote riser with cocobolo wedge and saddle in it, and the wild cherry veneer, and #55 or #60 draw weight. What do you all think?

[Michael Golden]

Be a pretty bow, I got mine in the spring and I love it.  If you do a search you can find some pictures of mine.

[Jedimaster]

The good Lord said he wouldn't put anything on us that we couldn't handle.  I guess He thinks your "back" is pretty strong after all.  It certainly sounds like it anyway - considering the upbeat nature of your post.  In whatever you choose I wish you well.  Stick with the elk hunt and stay away from women, JMHO.  If you can't stay away then at least keep perspective and put your priorities before glitz and glamour, JMHO again - LOL.  I like your bow choices, but there aren't too many I don't like.  I wish you well in your new found life.

[John3]

Randy,

I posted on your Elk thread about BSC- a great place to find a good guide.
I like all of your bow choices as well. I think you should get as many as you want..LOL

Without a credit card loving woman spending you into the poor house you will now have money for bows and more importantly hunting trips!!!  I had a no good at all wife that I finally booted out of my life in 2000. A hard decision due to my belief in my vows; but remember it takes two to make that commitment. Afterward I actually had money in my pocket to go do the things that really mattered. I've been living my bowhunting dreams every year since.
Get your back better and then make it happen and go bowhunt.

Life is too short to say "I wish I would have".

Everyday that passes "it" will get easier. Believe that brother; I've been there.

Post some Elk pics for us this fall !!!!

John III

[oldskool]

thumper, you can go to assenheimers web site and take a look.He has a big selection with a lot of pictures

[thumper15]

Ohio I think i've found all the pics from the searches I've done here another reason I am wanting one.

Jedi thank you, He must really think I can handle alot lol! Or as a good friend of mine once told me I'm just very willful. Here I thought I was just plain stubborn lol.

JDS3 I completely understand about the vows and I agree but a person can only put up with so much, then you have to weigh which is more important your well being or theirs. I actually hav no problem dealing with it all I have to do is look at what I put up with before and now that weight is gone. Thank you for posting on both my threads my hunt I'm planning for next fall so plenty of time to get geared up for it.

A couple things I didn't mention that are positives for me are #1 I have physical custody of my 2 boys. #2 I'm going through being approved for VocRehab so they are willing to send me to retrain for a new job. That means I'll get out of the hard back breaking jobs I'm used to and start using my brain for a change lol. They are going to pay for me to get a degree as a radiologist. So in more ways than one my divorce and my back has been a blessing in disguise.

[kennym]

Randy,things seem to happen for a reason,looks like the reasons are fairly easy to see for you. Good luck with the new job course. What part of MO are you located in?

[J-dog]

Sounds like you walked through the stuff and came out smellin like a rose! You are right, and I can atest to it that sometimes you end up on a really rough road, and if you can endure that road good things happen.

In my case I think the Lord wasa really throwing a test at me.

I do not think you can go wrong with any of those bows you describe. Just be sure to post pics!!!

J

[thumper15]

Kenny,

I'm north of KC about 50 miles.

J-dog,

I will definately post pics of the bows, but not the stupid grin on my face when they arrive lol.

[kennym]

I'm 60 mi. E of Cameron,if you ever get over this way,give me a shout!

[J-dog]

Naw, ya gotta have the "grin" aint a pic w/ouut the "grin"

J

[thumper15]

kenny,

Been awhile since I've been over around the brookfield area. alot of good hunting ground over there. But I sure will let you know if I'm going to be in he area.

J,

nah my mug would degrade the pics lol.

[rg176bnc]

I feel for ya thumper.  My wife just had the same surgery.  Back pain will make anybody and everybody a grumpy sob.  Sometimes we need little reminders on how good we used to feel.  Now the only people complaining about you hunting too much will be the critters!!

[thumper15]

Oh trust me I plan on doing as much damage as I can on the deer popluation this year. lol

[stmpthmpr]

Hmmm... you're thumper15, I'm stumpthumper. You're name is Randy and so is mine. You just got rated 10% because of L5 and so did I. We seem to have some things in common and we both are looking at a sweet little permanent impairment benefit. Maybe we oughta talk about combining forces on some serious bowhunting!!!

Oh yeah... I also have two sons (And mine are old enough to do our packin' for us!!!)

[thumper15]

Guess it truely is a small world then huh? lol
There's one thing we don't have in common lol your up there in alaska and I'm down here in missouri I wonder who got the better deal there lol. Wanna trade states? LOL

[stmpthmpr]

Every place has its own kinda beauty! I love it up here for sure, but I came here from Wisconsin in 1983. I miss my walleyes and whiteltails.

OK... it's a deal! When do we make the switch?

Actaully, after season... late fall, we are moving down either to our place in South Dakota or Idaho. I plan on making up for lost time. Ill be coming back up every other year to hunt and fish. Ill be looking for trad pardners to frolick along!!!

Hows bout a trade... SD pheasants and geese for MO whitetails and turkeys? Then, a trip up here for Kenai Kings and Mulchatna caribou?

[thumper15]

Oh well pheasants and geese might cause me a problem, I've never been very good at hitting moving targets with a shotgun lol. Now the caribou I could go for, the kings well I haven't done any kind of fishing in about 3 years so am out of practice there too lol. I have a couple places to hunt whitetails and turkeys around here, but unless I can change the landowners minds there are only about 3 people they let hunt on the land but I could find out. I lived in washington state for a short time so I can only imagine what alaska would be like.

[countrygirl]

Thumper15,it is a small world. We go thru Savannah every year on our way to Maryville Mo. We deer hunt on an uncle's farm and when we hit Savsnnah we know the 1300 mile drive is just about over.

[thumper15]

LOL yeah it is. Still have a great aunt that lives in ravenwood just east of maryville. There is alot of good hunting up there. Decent fishing at Mazingo too haven't been there in about 3 years though to fish.